iPad vs. Surface Pro: Microsoft And Apple’s Latest Tablets Compared

DigitalTrends’ K. T. Bradford notes that Microsoft has finally answered Apple’s iPad challenge with its Surface tablets, contending that the Surface Pro is the kind of tablet the market was waiting for… at least in theory. In practice? Maybe not so much if rumors of slow sales are accurate.

Points highlighted include:
• The Surface Pro has a wider screen than the iPad which means bar-less widescreen HD video watching
• The iPads aspect ratio lets you fit more text on the screen in landscape mode than you can on the Surface, meaning less scrolling, but your videos will shrink a little, or have their sides chopped off like an old-school television.
• Touch performance on both is about the same, but the Surface Pro includes stylus compatibility with an active digitizer pen using WACOM technology.
• The Surface Pro’s ergonomics are problematic.
• Though apps are getting better with every month, the iPad’s limitations make getting work done difficult – the lack of universal file explorer, inability of all apps to talk to each other and share files, and complete lack of multitasking can make getting simple things done a frustrating experience.
• The iPads sole, proprietary port is also a hindrance
• Microsoft’s Surface Pro is a real computer that doesnt suffer from the same restrictions since it runs full Windows 8.
• The Surface Pro’s full-size USB 3.0 port means you dont have to buy an extra adapter to connect peripherals.
• The Surface Pro’s big weakness is that programs running in Desktop mode aren’t made for the touch-first experience
• The Intel Core i5 processor and the other components get hot when you push the Surface. The iPad doesnt have the same heat issues (thanks to the cool, efficient chip inside).
• The iPad’s efficient ARM-based chip helps it to last for over 10 hours of normal use
• The Surface Pro will last about 7 hours, max.